Coal-separating apparatus



Nov. 26, 1929, E. J. CORCORAN COAL SEPARATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2'7, 1928 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 EDWARD J. CORCORAN, OF PLAINS, PENNSYLVANIA v COAL-SEPABATIN Gr APPARATUS Application filed September 27, 1928.

This invention relates to coal separating apparatus and particularly to a device efficient for separating coal and slate and directing them to chutes from which they may be removed in any appropriate way as by hoisting mechanisms, such as conveyers, chain buckets or the like, andit is furthermore an object of this invention to associate with the foregoing instrumentalities, a means by which so-called bonemay be disassociated' from the slate or coal. In practice bone is a product'in which coal and slate are combined to a degree which warrants the rebreaking of the coal for the purpose ofdislodging slate which it carries, hence through the employment of this device, the recovery of the bone is an economical and highly desirable result.

It is a further object of this invention to produce an apparatus of the character indicated having means for agitating the commingled coal, slate and bone in the presence of water and to provide means whereby the lighter content, that is to say the coal will be a directed to exits from which it is delivered to a collector or chute and likewise to provide collectors for the content of intermediate weight, viz: the bone and to provide means for'its collection in a separate chute and also I to provide for the collection of the slate in order that it may be directed to a chute and removed from the apparatus.

It is a further objectof this invention to provide novel means for subjecting the material to the action of water in orderthat it construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the; invention in detail, ref-.

erence will be had to the accompanying draw to accomplish the results Serial No. 308,651.

ings forming part of this application wherem like characters denote corresponding parts, and in which.

Figure 1 illustrates a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a horizontal sectional view of the device; I

Figure 8 illustrates a sectional view of. a fragment of the device on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 illustrates a detail View of operating parts of the device.

In these drawings 10 denotes a tank or housing which is preferably circular in plan and it is of a height necessary to produce proper results in practice. The water is sup plied for the tank from any suitable source by appropriate meanssuch as a pipe 11 and preferably the tank or housing contains water to approximately the height: indicated.

A hearing bracket 12 is located in the bottom of the tank and is preferably centrally thereof and a vertically disposed shaft 13 is journaled in a bearing of the bracket. As any appropriate bearing may be employed, the details thereof are not shown but those skilled in the art will understand this installation. I I I A plurality of sets of stirrer blades or paddles 14: is carried by the shaft and the numbers of sets employed and. the distance apart on the shaft will depend'upon the degree of agitation to be imparted to the contents of the tank and to some extent it will depend upon the specific gravity of the material being treated. Likewise the'R. P. M. of the shaft will depend upon conditions in practice and the inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to thenumber ofstirrers nor the details such as those referred to, ex-

cept as they will be specified in the accompanying claims; '1

A plurality. of hoods or. deflectors 15 is located on theshaft, one above each set of stirrers, it being the purpose of the inventor that these hoods shall deflect the material toward the side of the tank in the zone of action of the agitated water and contents of the tank.

A plurality of hopper-like discharge spouts 16 is located on the inner wall of the tank' and they discharge through openings 17 in the wall ofthe tank to an annular chamber surrounding the tank formed by the wall of the tank and a jacket 18 which is in suitable spaced relation to the wall of the tank. The width of the annular chamber will depend upon conditions in practice and neednot be specified for an understanding of the inven;

' another chute 24 communicates with the interior of the tank and discharges into a vertical chamber 25. The chambers 21, 23 and 25 are formed by. sheathing or other structure externally of the jacket and these are "intended to be supplied with suitable hoistmg or conveying devices common in the art, of mining and it is believed unnecessary to show an installation of a device of this kind which would be suitable as it is within the province of one skilledin the art to employ a screw conveyer, or chain and'bucket conveyers.

The side edge of each hopper facing the approach of the stirrerblades. is provided with a guiding plate 2.6 which will serve to deflect and direct floating material to the hopper and these plates are preferably mounted on hinges 27 and the plates are adjustable in order to increase or diminish their angle or their inclination with respect to the horizontal. As a means for affording the said adj ustment in the present embodiment of the invention a rod 28 extends vertically of the tank through a slot 29 of each plate where the platesare in vertical alinement and'shoulders 30 on the rod above andbeloweach plate serve to cause movement of the plates as the rod is moved upwardly or downwardly. The

' upper end of the rod is threaded in a support adjusted as indicated.

:31 and as the. rod is turned by a hand wheel 32 or other means, the rod will be moved priate means may be provided for communieating v the motion of'the rods to the said plates. u

The shaft may be rotated through any suitable source of power and this movement will carry the blades or paddles for the purpose of agitating the contents of the tank. When the tank is properly filled with water, coal accompanied b slate will be delivered to the tank preferably at several locations around its periphery, although that is a matter which practice will dictate. Suitable chutes (not shown) may be provided for delivering solid material to the mouth'of the tank, and it willdescend into the water which, owing to the rotation of the shaft, will be in a whirl. The light material, that is the coal which is of less specific gravitythan slate, will float to an appreciable extent or at least descend less swiftly than will the slate so that as it swirls withthe water, it will come into the zone of reception of; the hoppers and thus escape from the tank through the chutes and channels described. The slate being of such specific gravity as to be slightly if at all influenced by the swirlingwater will gravitate precipitously to the bottom of the tank and be discharged through the chute that. leads. from the tank to the vertical chamber.

The bone to which referen e, has. been made which is of a specific gravity between that of coal and slate will to a degree be affected and moved outwardly from the vertical by the force of the swirling water and itwill find its way to the hoppers near thebottom of the tank and theywill be discharged through the chute to the vertical chamber provided for its reception.

As has been sta ed, h a tion Of'the' PP ratus an be con le to a Very gre -e te by the R. PJM. of the shaft which will determine the degree of agitation imparted to the contents of the tank. and the, force which the containwater, stirrers operative to swirl the water therein, the tankhaving hopper-like openings in its side at different locations. vertically thereof, deflecting members adjust ably. associated with the hopper-like openings, means for adjusting. theidefiectors, an annular chamber outside of the tankv with which the openings communicate, a chute leading from the interior of the tank, a chamber into which the chute discharges, a chute leading from the annular chamber, "and a chamber into which the last mentioned chute discharges.

2. In a coal separator, a tank adaptedto containwater, stirrers operativeto swirl the water therein, the tank having hopper-like openings in its side at differentlocations vertically thereof, deflecting members adjustably associated" with the hopper-like open- I ings, means for adjusting the deflectors, an annular chamber uts de of he tank w th which the openings communicate, a chute leading from the interior of the tank, a chamher into which thechute discharges, a chute leading from the annular chamber, a partition between the top and bottom of the annular chamber, the outer Wall of the annular chamber having an opening, and a chamber with which it communicates through which material passes from the upper part of the annular chamber.

EDWARD J. CORGORAN. 

